


Child of the Ghost

by Anima_princess_1



Series: STAR WARS Collection [8]
Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-13
Updated: 2019-07-13
Packaged: 2020-06-27 15:08:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19793443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anima_princess_1/pseuds/Anima_princess_1
Summary: Following the events of New Dawn, Hera and Kanan travel to the planet of Lothal and meet a very special child who will change their lives.





	1. The Child From Lothal

Lothal was a dusty planet, not as dusty as Tatooine but still dusty. Kanan could sense the other sentient beings that lived there as well as the Loth-Cats and Loth-Wolves that called the barren plans home. But he could also sense something else, something that he hadn’t felt in eight years. Something was here, something small but that seemed to pull at his conscious; a Force sensitive being called Lothal home and from the force signature Kanan could tell that whoever it was had a lot of power but was untrained. However, he decided not to tell Hera about it. The Twi’lek was still getting used to having him around and he didn’t want to add someone else Force sensitive to the mix. Unfortunately, despite the short time they had known each other, Hera had an uncanny ability to tell when Kanan was lying to her or keeping something from her. If Kanan didn’t know any better, he would have sworn that she was Force sensitive.  
“Something’s bothering you,” Hera said.  
“It’s nothing,” Kanan said. “Let’s just get the supplies and go.”

The market place was busy but fortunately, busy was a good thing. The more people around the more Kanan and Hera would blend in. The Stromtroopers there barely gave them a second glance. Determined to get the supply run done as quickly as possible, Kanan and Hera divided up the list.  
Kanan had just gotten the last items on his half of the list when he felt a disturbance in the Force. He didn't have to look far to find it either. A young boy no older than eight practically ran into him and Kanan could sense that he had a strong Force signature.  
"Don't let them take me," the boy said as he ducked behind Kanan to hide.  
Before Kanan could ask who the boy was talking about, two stormtroopers rounded the corner. From the way they were walking, he knew that they hadn't been chasing the boy but he could still sense his fear.  
"Is there a problem?" one of the stormtroopers asked.  
"No. No problem," Kanan said quickly. "My...son got separated from me but he's fine now."  
The stormtroopers seemed to have accepted this but Kanan knew that it was best to get the boy away from them.  
"Come on, Caleb," he said taking hold of the boy's hand. "Let's go find your mom."  
As casually as possible, Kanan lead the boy away and towards the spot where he and Hera had planned to meet up. Together, they would search for the boy's parents before leaving the planet.

Hera waited patiently at the meeting place wondering what was taking Kanan so long. Finally, she saw him walking towards her...and he wasn't alone. A young boy no older than eight was with him.  
"What happened?" Hera asked.  
"He found me," Kanan said. "I think he got separated from his parents."  
Hera crouched down so she was eye level with the boy.  
"What's your name, sweetheart?" she asked.  
The boy didn't say anything but Kanan could sense him instinctively reaching out with the Force to read both of them.  
"It's okay," Kanan said. "My name's Kanan and hers is Hera."  
The boy looked up at him and then back at Hera.  
"Ezra," he said shyly.  
"And where are your parents, Ezra?" Hera asked.  
"I don't know. The white men took them away."  
Hera and Kanan exchanged a glance. "White men" could only mean one thing, stormtroopers.  
"How long ago?" Kanan asked.  
"A really, really long time ago," Ezra answered.  
Kanan didn't need to use the Force to know what Hera was thinking.  
"We can't leave him here," she said.  
"I knew you were going to say that," Kanan replied.  
"Come on," Hera said to Ezra, standing up and taking his other hand. "We'll take you back to our ship where you can get cleaned up and have something to eat."  
Ezra smiled up at both Hera and Kanan. He couldn't put his finger on it but he trusted them. Something told him that they wouldn't hurt him and he'd be safe with them until they found his parents. And, after being alone since just before his seventh birthday, it was nice to have two grownups he could depend on.


	2. First Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hera headed towards the kitchen, meeting Kanan in the common area. The former Jedi Knight had gotten in touch with their contact in the Imperial Security Bureau in the hope of getting any information on where Ezra's parents are.  
> "No luck?" Hera asked.  
> "All he could get was that they're in an undisclosed prison after being arrested almost a year ago for transmitting anti-imperial messages," Kanan answered.  
> "How do we tell Ezra?"  
> "When he's older, we can tell him the truth. Right now, I have no idea." Kanan took a deep breath. "He's Force sensitive, Hera. We can't just leave him in some orphanage or even with someone we trust. He's going to need training so he can control it."  
> "Then we need to find someway to keep him. Maybe Maketh can help us."

Ezra actively explored the Ghost with all the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old. There was a cockpit, a fresher, two turrets, a smaller ship Hera called the Phantom, a common area, a kitchen, and four cabins. There was even an astromech on board, an older model but still working, though it did grumble at him in the droid language. Hera smiled as Ezra ran up to her after exploring his new home.  
"It's so big," he said.  
Hera laughed.  
"That was my first impression, too," she said. "Now, which cabin do you want?"  
"I want that one," Ezra said pointing to the cabin that was right next to Kanan's.  
"Okay. You go get settled while I get dinner started."  
Ezra ran off. The astromech rolled up to Hera complaining loudly.  
"Get over it, Chopper," Hera said. "He's staying so you might as well get used to him."  
Hera headed towards the kitchen, meeting Kanan in the common area. The former Jedi Knight had gotten in touch with their contact in the Imperial Security Bureau in the hope of getting any information on where Ezra's parents are.  
"No luck?" Hera asked.  
"All he could get was that they're in an undisclosed prison after being arrested almost a year ago for transmitting anti-imperial messages," Kanan answered.  
"How do we tell Ezra?"  
"When he's older, we can tell him the truth. Right now, I have no idea." Kanan took a deep breath. "He's Force sensitive, Hera. We can't just leave him in some orphanage or even with someone we trust. He's going to need training so he can control it."  
"Then we need to find someway to keep him. Maybe Maketh can help us."  
♧♧♧  
Ezra ate two big helpings of stew before he finally started to slow down. He definitely had a healthy appetite indicating that Kanan and Hera were going to have no trouble getting him to eat. They were, however, going to have to monitor how much he ate.  
"Okay, I think that's enough," Hera said as Ezra started to take a third helping. "You don't want to eat so much that you make yourself sick."  
Ezra sat back, his stomach full for the first time in a long time.  
"Ezra," Hera said. "Since you're going to be staying here, there are going to be a few things you'll have to understand. Kanan and I are gathering information to help start a rebellion against the Empire and sometimes we have to go on missions."  
Ezra nodded, his focus on the two adults. It was clear that he under stood that what Hera was telling him was important.  
"When we go on a mission, you have to do exactly as we tell you and most of the time that will mean staying on the Ghost," Kanan said.  
"Don't let anyone on the Ghost unless one of us says it's okay or they use the word 'Spector'," Hera said. "And, until further notice, the turrets are off limits to you."  
Ezra nodded to show he understood. These were simple rules and he could follow them. Hera smiled.  
"There's more," she said. "There will be some parts of a normal life here. So we'll try to have dinner as a family every night at 5:30 standard time and bed time will be at 8."  
"We'll also be teaching you," Kanan said. "Reading, writing, math, languages, and history. You're old enough to start learning these things. But that can wait a few days."  
Ezra nodded again. He never really liked school but, if Kanan and Hera were going to teach him, his new lessons probably wouldn't be all that bad. He was pretty sure he could like living on the ship until they found his parents.  
♧♧♧  
At 8, Ezra didn't argue with Hera when she told him it was time to get ready for bed. After a bath, he changed into one of Kanan's shirts since Hera had put the cloths he had been wearing in the washer to get them clean. They were going to have to make another supply run to get him some more cloths.  
"If you need anything, Kanan's room is right next door and mine is across the hall from his," Hera told Ezra as she tucked him into bed.  
"Hera," Ezra said. "Can you read me a story?"  
Hera looked around. The room didn't have much in it and she wasn't all that good at making up stories.  
"How about this one," Kanan said from the doorway.  
He came into the room and sat down on the bed. Ezra curled up between him and Hera while Kanan started reading. After two chapters of the book, entitled Nicolas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King, the first book in The Guardians of Childhood series, Ezra was starting to get sleepy but Kanan could sense that he wasn't ready for them to leave him just yet.  
So Kanan and Hera decided to stay with him until he fell asleep and all three of them ended up falling asleep at the same time, Ezra between Kanan and Hera with Hera's arms around him and Kanan's around both of them. Even Chopper rested in the room, powering down in the corner. It was the first night of a new life for all of them and, from this point on, they were going to be a family.


	3. Our Little Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maketh Tua, the Minister of Lothal, met with them the day after Kanan and Hera found Ezra and told them that, after looking over every record she could find, Ezra had no other known relatives. That left the twi'lek and the former Jedi free to keep Ezra on the Ghost but there was still the fear that the Imperials could take him away from them. Their only course of action was to officially adopt the boy and the best way to make sure that happened was if they were husband and wife. So, following Maketh's advice, Kanan and Hera were married.  
> It's not like it wasn't something that wasn't going to happen eventually. Even Ezra could tell that they liked each other and he had only known them for half a day.  
> Maketh fast tracked both the marriage license and the adoption papers, made sure that everything was in order, and got Goveroner Pierce to sign off on both without actually reading them. That's when the real adventure began.

Slowly but surly, the droid, the twi'lek, and the two humans were becoming a family. Ezra seemed to be the missing piece that changed them from a crew to a family and it had only been two weeks since Kanan and Hera found him.  
The eight-year-old followed all the rules and was very smart. Once establishing where he was in school, Hera and Kanan began his lessons onboard the Ghost; Hera taught Ezra grammar/spelling and math and Kanan, because of his Jedi training, taught him language and history (though Hera helped with the twi'lek language and Ryloth history lessons) while everything else they traded off.   
And it wasn't long before a new member joined the crew when Chopper liberated an analyst droid designated AP-5 from an Imperial freighter. As thanks for giving him his freedom back, AP looked after the Ghost (and sometimes Ezra) when Kanan and Hera were away.  
Maketh Tua, the Minister of Lothal, met with them the day after Kanan and Hera found Ezra and told them that, after looking over every record she could find, Ezra had no other known relatives. That left the twi'lek and the former Jedi free to keep Ezra on the Ghost but there was still the fear that the Imperials could take him away from them. Their only course of action was to officially adopt the boy and the best way to make sure that happened was if they were husband and wife. So, following Maketh's advice, Kanan and Hera were married.  
It's not like it wasn't something that wasn't going to happen eventually. Even Ezra could tell that they liked each other and he had only known them for half a day.  
Maketh fast tracked both the marriage license and the adoption papers, made sure that everything was in order, and got Goveroner Pierce to sign off on both without actually reading them. That's when the real adventure began.  
♧♧♧  
"Hera, can I ask you something?" Ezra asked one morning while the twi'lek was making breakfast.  
"Of course," she said without turning away from the stove.  
"Don't breakouts happen to teenagers?"  
Hera turned. Red bumps covered Ezra's cheeks and forehead.  
"Uh oh," she said, kneeling down and pushing up Ezra's sleeve, discovering more red bumps on his arm. "Kanan!"  
"It's itchy," Ezra said, scratching at the bumps on his arm.  
"I know," Hera said as Kanan came into the kitchen. "Don't scratch though."  
"What's wrong?" Kanan asked, kneeling next to his wife and adopted son.  
"Look at this," Hera said showing him Ezra's arm.  
Kanan looked at the bumps.  
"Looks like someone has the chickenpox," he said.  
"Is that bad?" Ezra asked.  
"No," Kanan said. "Almost all kids get chickenpox. I had them when I was your age."  
"So did I," said Hera. "You're going to have to stay on the Ghost for a week though."  
"Okay," Ezra said. "But it's still itchy."  
"We'll get you some carmine lotion. That will help."  
"You and Kanan aren't going to get sick, are you?"  
"No. Once someone's had the chickenpox, they can't get it again."  
♧♧♧  
Hera dabbed the last bit of the pink lotion on the cotton ball on to Ezra's skin. It had been two days since Hera and Kanan discovered that Ezra had the chickenpox and they were doing everything they could to make him comfortable. Mostly it was playing games with him and letting him watch movies on the datapad they had gotten him (mostly it was The Hobbit and The Flight of Dragons but the eight-year-old had also gotten to like The Last Unicorn and The Land Before Time).  
As for his lessons, they were on hold until he felt better (though Kanan had started teaching him meditation to take his mind off how much the bumps itched).  
"Okay, time for bed," Hera said.  
"How much longer until I can go outside?" Ezra asked as he got into bed.  
"Five more standard days," Hera said as she tucked him in. "How are you feeling?"  
"I'm still itchy."  
"I know, baby. Just try not to scratch."  
"Hera," Ezra said as she picked up Nicolas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King (they were determined to finish it). "Can I ask you something?"  
Hera looked at the little boy.  
"Of course, sweetheart."  
"Do you think my parents would mind if I called you and Kanan "mom" and "dad"?"  
Tears began to form in the twi'lek's eyes.  
"No. I don't think they would."  
Ezra hugged her and Hera looked up to see Kanan in the doorway. She smiled knowing that he had heard her conversation with Ezra.  
Hera opened the holobook as Kanan sat down on the bed with her and Ezra. This was a nightly ritual that all three of them looked forward to. After two chapters, it was time for bed but Ezra was still slightly awake.  
"It's really time for bed," Hera told the eight-year-old.  
"I'm not sleepy," Ezra said through a yawn.  
Hera smiled. She knew what would help her adopted son fall asleep. She leaned forward and softly sang the very song her mother used to sing to her when she was a little girl.  
"Don't lose your way  
With each passing day  
You've come so far  
Don't throw it away  
Live believing  
Dreams are for weaving  
Wonders are waiting to start  
Live your story  
Faith, hope, and glory  
Hold to the truth in your heart  
If we hold on together  
I know our dreams will never die  
Dreams see us through to forever  
Where clouds roll by  
For you and I  
Souls in the wind  
Must learn how to bend  
Seek out a star  
Hold on to the end  
Valley, mountain  
There is a fountain  
Washes our tears all away  
Words are swaying  
Someone is praying  
Please let us come home to stay  
If we hold on together  
I know our dreams will never die  
Dreams see us through to forever  
Where clouds roll by  
For you and I  
When we are out there in the dark  
We'll dream about the sun  
In the dark we'll feel the light  
Warm our hearts, everyone  
If we hold on together  
I know our dreams will never die  
Dreams see us through to forever  
As high as souls can fly  
The clouds roll by  
For you and I"  
Kanan smiled as Hera kissed Ezra goodnight. He loved to hear his wife sing, something she was doing a lot more of since Ezra came to live with them. Her voice was so lyrical and she could change octives so easily and fuliedly. He had no idea if it was something all twi'lek could do or something completly unique to Hera but he still thought it was beautiful.  
♧♧♧  
"Something's different," Kanan said later that night as he and Hera got into bed. "It feels like something has changed."  
"Something has," Hera said as she snuggled up to her husband. "The Ghost is no longer just a ship and we're no longer just a crew; it's our home and we're a family."  
Several hours later, Kanan woke up to find Ezra sleeping between him and Hera. At some point during the night, the eight-year-old must have crawled into bed with them. Ezra held his red and yellow stuffed Loth Cat close to his chest while Hera had her arm around him. Kanan smiled and put his arm around his wife and adopted son.  
Family. Home, he thought. I've never had that before, even at the temple. But it feels like this was meant to be. Hera's right. We're a family; our own little family.


	4. Jedi Training and Birthday Surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Mama Hera," Ezra said excitedly when he saw her.  
> He dropped his training saber and ran up to her, giving her a big hug. She in turn picked up her son.  
> "Papa Kanan and I were playing Duel," Ezra said.  
> "I can see that," Hera said.  
> She set Ezra down and knelt in front of him, Kanan by her side.  
> "You know what I learned today?" Hera said. "Someone has a birthday coming up in a few days."  
> Ezra smiled excitedly. He knew exactly who she was talking about.  
> "Is there anything special you would like?"  
> "A baby sister," Ezra answered.

One morning about a month after coming to live on the Ghost, Ezra entered the kitchen to find that Hera wasn't there.  
"Where's Mama Hera?" he asked Kanan.  
"On a mission but she should be back soon."  
Hera and Kanan always made sure that one of them was on the Ghost when Ezra woke up in the morning. While the eight-year-old didn't mind if they left in the middle of the day on missions (and would try to stay up until they got back if it was after his bedtime), he didn't like waking up to find no one on the Ghost except him and AP-5 (and possibly Chopper). Kanan and Hera believed it had something to do with what happened with his parents.  
Ezra sat down at the table. Kanan gave him a glass of orange juice and a bowl of maple and brown sugar oatmeal. While Ezra ate his breakfast, Kanan began to make plans for the morning knowing that he was going to have to keep Ezra entertained until Hera got back. It was Saturday and he and Hera had decided that Ezra wouldn't have lessons on Saturdays or Sundays (or any special days within the twi'lek culture, on Lothal, or that the Empire insisted on).  
But that was his academic lessons. His Jedi lessons were everyday. Of course, Ezra didn't know that they were lessons. He thought they were games and Kanan and Hera were more than happy to let him believe that until he was old enough to understand exactly what these "games" were.  
"So what do you want to play: Temple or Duel?" Kanan asked once Ezra had finished his breakfast.  
Ezra smiled showing the space where he had recently lost a tooth, which he had received a coin for after putting it under his pillow.  
"Duel," he said excitedly.  
Temple and Duel were two of the games Kanan had come up with to teach Ezra about the Jedi and the Force. He used Temple to teach Ezra meditation and about the living Force and ways of the Jedi; Duel was lightsaber training (done with wooden training sabers until Ezra was old enough to have his own lightsaber; Kanan kept his locked up in his and Hera's room (which had originally been his) as an added precaution as well).  
There were other "Jedi Games" as Ezra called them that they played together (sometimes even with Hera, Chopper, and AP), reenactments of famous battles from the Clone Wars such as the Battle of Christophisis and the two Battles for Geonosis.  
"Okay," Kanan said. "Go get your training sabers."  
The eight-year-old (or almost eight-year-old as Kanan and Hera had learned after a recent visit to the doctors) ran off excitedly to his room to find the swords. When he came back, he and Kanan played Duel in the cargo bay (where they had more room) until Hera came back.  
"Mama Hera," Ezra said excitedly when he saw her.  
He dropped his training saber and ran up to her, giving her a big hug. She in turn picked up her son.  
"Papa Kanan and I were playing Duel," Ezra said.  
"I can see that," Hera said.  
She set Ezra down and knelt in front of him, Kanan by her side.  
"You know what I learned today?" Hera said. "Someone has a birthday coming up in a few days."  
Ezra smiled excitedly. He knew exactly who she was talking about.  
"Is there anything special you would like?"  
"A baby sister," Ezra answered.  
Kanan and Hera looked at each other.   
"I think your mom was thinking more along the lines of a toy," Kanan said.  
"But I really want a baby sister," Ezra said.  
"Ezra, you have to understand that, even if your dad and I were going to give you a baby sister, it won't be in time for your birthday," Hera said.  
Ezra's face fell.  
"I'll tell you what. Your dad and I will try to make you a big brother. But you have to understand that it may not be a baby sister."  
"And you're going to have to start sleeping in your own room," Kanan said.  
"Why?" Ezra asked.  
"Because you can't become a big brother if you keep crawling in bed with us."  
"Why?"  
"Because your mom and I will need privacy."  
"Why?"  
"Because of reason we'll talk about when you're older."  
"Why?"  
"Because we say so," Hera said. "Now go play."  
"Okay."  
Ezra ran off to play followed by Chopper. Ezra loved to play with Chopper when Kanan and Hera were busy and Chopper had grown fond of the little boy who came to live on the Ghost. Chopper had even taken to powering down in Ezra's cabin at night, keeping a close eye on his new friend.  
"How do you do that?" Kanan asked Hera.  
"It's not that hard," Hera said. "Ezra was play the Why/Because Game. All kids play it with their parents and the best way to end it is to say because you say so."  
Kanan pulled Hera close.  
"Do you think he'll start sleeping in his own room tonight?"  
"I think he will," Hera said. "He seems determined to be a big brother. Now, I'm going to need your help. We have a birthday party to plan."  
The couple made their way to the common area. As they sat down to plan Ezra's birthday party, they could hear him in his room playing.  
"What would be a good theme for an eight-year-old boy's birthday party?" Hera asked.  
"Don't ask me," Kanan answered. "The Jedi really didn't celebrate birthdays. Sometimes a master would do something special for a Padawan but that's about it."  
"Well...Ezra loves learning about the Jedi but we can't do that as a theme for obvious reasons. He also loves playing with Chopper and AP and is fascinated by everything on the Ghost so what about a ship-and-droid theme?"  
"That sounds good. Do you think we can get everything ready in time?"  
"I think so. I've never actually planned a birthday party before but I think we can pull this off."  
Several days later...  
About a dozen kids were playing party games on the Ghost and more had just arrived as the Empire Day festivities were winding down. Kanan and Hera had sent invitations to the children Ezra had play dates with and all of them had come. There really wasn't much for kids to do on Lothal so when someone had a birthday party everyone who was invited went (as well as a few who weren't invited). Parents rarely had to send out invitations; just getting the word out to other parents was enough. The kids were having a fun playing Pin-the-Arm-on-the-Astromec and playing with Chopper while waiting for their turn.  
"I think it's wonderful that you and your husband adopted him," one of the mothers said to Hera. "The poor thing was on his own for a year but no one could afford to take him in."  
"We couldn't just leave him on the street," Hera said. "Not after he told us that Stormtroopers took his parents away."  
"Are you all right, dear? You look a little worn out."  
"I'm fine. It's just a lot of work taking care of a ship and a child and planning a birthday party, even with help from Kanan, Chopper, and AP."  
The party continued. Ezra had a wonderful time playing with his friends, blowing out the candles on his birthday cake (which was an exact replica of the Ghost), and opening his presents. His parents had always tried to give him a nice birthday but their house was too small for a big party and of course last year he didn't have a party at all. All too soon it was time for the guests to go home.  
"Did you have fun?" Hera asked Ezra as the family cleaned up after the party.  
"It was the best birthday party I ever had!" Ezra said.  
He was still full of energy after playing with his friends; no doubt due to all the cake, ice cream, punch, and candy he had at the party. It was going to be hours before Hera could settle him down to go to bed. But it was worth it to see him so happy. Hera helped Ezra collect his presents and bring them to his room. As usual, the place was a mess since Ezra rarely picked up his toys when they were in his room; he simply cleared a path to his bed.  
"Tomorrow, we're going to pick up this room," Hera said. "It's a mess."  
"I like it this way," Ezra said.  
"Well it's starting to spill out into the hall."  
They put the presents on the desk.  
"You can play for one more hour and then it's time for a bath and bed."  
"But Mama Hera..."  
"No buts. I'm letting you stay up an extra hour but that doesn't mean that you can stay up all night."  
♧♧♧  
It took four chapters of The School for Good and Evil (they had finished Nicolas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King several weeks ago) and two renditions of "If We Hold On Together" before Hera and Kanan managed to get Ezra settled down enough to go to sleep. Ezra held his stuff loth cat to his chest as he began to drift off. As Hera and Kanan left the room, Chopper quietly warbled a goodnight. Normally Kanan and Hera stayed up a few hours after putting Ezra to bed. However, they were both so tired from the events of the day that they went to sleep after putting Ezra to bed.  
At about 4 in the morning, Kanan woke to find Hera gone. He found her in the 'fresher throwing up. Holding her lekku out of her face, he rubbed her back while Hera continued to empty her stomach. This wasn't the first time she's gotten sick. In fact it had been happening more and more frequently.  
"Are you alright," Kanan asked once Hera finished throwing up.  
"Kanan," Hera said placing a hand on her stomach, "I think I'm pregnant."


End file.
